I swore, SWORE I would not allow a slump to hit me and it has. Not fully, but sort of. First off, this time of year is difficult. I’ve been given a rather large project and the deadline for said project is the end of the year, but I am taking a lot of time off at the end of the year so really that only gives me a good ten days to get it done. I’ve made progress though so there is hope but my mind is a little scattered lately which makes reading difficult.
Speaking of reading, this book I am reading is good, but I don’t want to read it! It’s The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas. In theory, there is really nothing wrong with it but for whatever reason I am not eager to pick it up. It’s a library book that I have already renewed once but it’s messed up my 2-3 at-a-time book reading. I do have King’s Revival to keep me company, but I am reading that one slowly on purpose so that I can comment along with the other read-alongers.
I also have some health stuff going on. Not serious, as least I don’t consider it to be serious but my iron levels are at an all-time low. No one can figure out why and now my gluten-free diet doesn’t seem to be helping me anymore and I am not sure why. It’s made me tired and grumpy. Not good for the reading mojo.
My action plan? I am going to ditch the one book because it’s really screwing with me. I have recently gotten some really good ones, like The Rosie Effect and I’ve Give You The Sun and Dead Wake about the sinking of the Lusitania. They all sound so good.
I go to the doc on Friday so we’ll see what he has to say about all of my other stuff. If I eat nothing, I feel good but I can’t eat nothing forever.
Anyway, thought I’d check in so that you didn’t think I fell off the planet or something.
This time of a year is a challenge for a lot of you, what do you find challenging right now?
Book Chatter 
I hope the doctor figures something out. It’s so frustrating when you don’t feel well and they can’t diagnose it.
I won’t be reading much for a while. I’m going to pick my mom up on Friday and next week will be crazy busy at the store.
They have been trying to figure out my health stuff for quite a while. They keep saying try this, and then I will see you in 4 months to see how it’s going. I am the one researching stuff. At the same time though, I guess they don’t feel it’s that critical but there are days where I just want to sleep.
I hope you have a nice visit with our mom!
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As you know, we’ve got that whole elusive health thing going on with my son, so I understand. When he feels bad, I feel bad. I hope they can figure out the problem, because that is SO frustrating. My reading is dismal as you can imagine. I have been reading Revival and I like it, but I’m distracted all over the place. Yesterday instead of reading I spent hours on the computer doing my Rosetta Stone Polish. It was just the mood I was in. I don’t really blog reviews anymore so I guess it doesn’t really matter how slow I read. After that discussion we had the other day on FB, I’m also thinking about re-watching all of Breaking Bad too, so…
Yep. Distracted here as well. I am going to finish Revival this weekend. I am less than half way through it but I was enjoying it and trying to read it in small bits is not working out so well for my focus.
Binge TV just sounds too good these days, huh? Plus, I woke up this morning and feel a little shitty. Hahaha! Sort of like I could be catching a cold. I better the hell not! I just dosed up on Vitamin C. I cooked the Thanksgiving meal once without being able to taste a thing and let’s just say that it was interesting.
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I tried The Slap from the library once, and could NOT get into it! Hope they figure out what’s going on with your iron levels and that your work project goes well! I’m looking forward to reading The Rosie Effect. I hope it can be as fun as The Rosie Project was!
After 100 pages of The Slap, I’d have to say that the characters just don’t move me. The writing is good though as far as the dynamics of the story itself.
I hope The Rosie Effect is good too but I am going into it with fun in mind and if I get more than that, then so be it.
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My reading is going fine, aside from the fact that I have too many books piled up. But, my exercise plan…..I just don’t feel it right now. I have skipped class most of this week. Tuesday was a legitimate skip – we didn’t have electricity and the power company was out almost all night in 30 below weather trying to fix our neighborhood problem. But the other days? I have thought of some great excuses. I am hoping I feel like getting back in the groove soon since the holidays are around the corner and this would not be the time to give up on exercise.
Not to make excuses for you or anything but you are always so good with the exercising. Maybe you just need a little break or maybe you need to shake it up a bit and add something new. I am sure the holiday will motivate you in that area. After a nice Thanksgiving dinner the spark will return, I’m sure. Evan ‘I’ am out and about after dinner and you know me…
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I have hit a rut like no other in my entire life. Even the chirping crickets have abandoned my blog and my reading chair. I just have no desire whatsoever right now to pick up a book…any book! 😦 This makes me very sad.
My challenge for the upcoming holidays will be to not get completely out of whack with eating habits, exercise, and staying up too late catching up on tv shows I’ve missed 😛
I hope your doctor has some answers for you. Nothing like feeling bad and not having a clue why 😦
I guess it’s the time of year for this because so many us seem to be heading into a rut or are right smack in the middle of one right now. I say, enjoy the break and don’t worry about the reading or the blogging. It will all be here when you come back.
Personally, I think a nap would do me wonders but it’s not going to having anytime soon. Must wait for the weekend.
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This time of year always feels like a runaway train, which is unfortunate–we should be slowing down now, as nature is, tucking in, enjoying our homes and our natural environments. I am wishing you some answers to your health concerns–I have a couple of those–and a renewed spirit. This is your ebb tide, the flow will return.
Thank you, Jean! We will both get through the health issues and you are right about the ‘runaway train’ that we call the holidays. I wish it would slow down just a bit.
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My bookclub read The Slap. It’s interesting, but there’s not one character I could relate to. They’re all so unwavering… nasty.
Yes!! Nasty and unwavering. Unsavory comes to mind as well.
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I try not to set any real deadlines at this time of year because there are too many distractions…but I definitely just read one book at a time for a while…thoughts are always for good health…so really take care
I only make one reading goal for the year and I am one book away from it so unlike last year, I will actually make this year’s goal This book did it to me though. It put me in the wrong mood.
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I feel your pain. I am so far behind in reading that it would be funny if it was not so horrifying. And I need to be writing several reviews right this very moment. I know you know the feeling. And, since I work in retail, it is a crazy time of year. I actually lost one entire week, thinking Thanksgiving was two weeks away. Silly me.
I worked retail for many years when I was younger and I seriously don’t know how I survived. I remember 14 hour days and getting sick in the parking lot. Not good! All that canned Christmas music, played over and over. I imagine it’s better where you are though.
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I hope they figure out what is wrong. Have you been sleeping?
We’re busy here with getting stuff ready for the holidays and trying to keep the budget in check. I’ve been reading a really surreal and interesting book, but it has slowed my reading some as I think harder about what is going on in it. I don’t have a copy of Revival yet, but hopefully, someone will get it for me for Christmas! But I haven’t gotten back to Mr. Mercedes so, who knows.
I hope things get finished with the project soon at least. That would bring the stress level down so you can concentrate on the health issues. Feel better soon.
I’ve been picking up stuff for the big meal for the past two weeks so I just have to get the fresh stuff now and some decadent (for me) items at Trader Joe’s like wine, more wine and maybe some Chocolate wine and their cranberry relish which is delish.
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Ti, I’m sorry about the health stuff – that totally sucks! And you definitely can’t go on eating nothing. My fingers are crossed the doc can give you some answers tomorrow. As for The Slap, I’ve heard about it, but never read it. If its not working then definitely put it down and finish Revival 🙂 I can dig being too busy for reading – that happens. Especially if you have a big project to finish before the holidays. Good luck with it!! I’ve been reading like crazy lately and loving it. The only thing is that I don’t really feel like posting about the books. I just can’t seem to get in the mood to blog, so I’ve been rather spotty with it lately. I’m hoping that changes soon – maybe I’ll read something so great that I’ll be excited to post about it. Anyhow, I hope you have a great weekend!! Take care!!
True. The reading is certainly easier than the reviewing. Maybe one post with short blurb reviews? All I want to do is sip hot cider, take a nap and eat a turkey sandwich. LOL.
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That’s a good idea – thanks! And a hot cider sounds delicious right about now 🙂
I wish you success as you work to determine what is causing your health issues. It is so frustrating. I try to get as much done at work as I can so the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is not crazy. I also usually quit watching TV, just DVR everything and read or go to bed early.
I don’t typically have work stuff this time of year because I work for a University and for us, the semester is winding down. This year is different with all of the job changes, etc. I will probably get more done with The Walking Dead hits their hiatus.
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Feel better soon Ti, eat dried apricots for iron (that’s what my mom always said when I was PG and my iron was low).
I am aware of a lot of foods high in iron but I had no idea about apricots! I just Googled them too and she is right. Thanks. Maybe I can absorb them better than the pills I am taking.
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Diane beat me to the apricot suggestion, but I hope they’re able to figure out what’s going on. My reading has been almost nonexistent for the past two week. The time of year definitely has something to do with it.
I hope I can actually read on my time off! I know there will be cooking but I hope the reading spark returns.
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I hate those slumps! But they do happen every now and then.
I hope you feel better and everything is okay!
Hi Ti! One of my goals for the next three months is to reply to all the comments on my blog, because I’ve been really bad about that for way too long. And you are the first person who came to mind, because you are always so good about reading my posts and commenting on them. I really appreciate that . . . it warms the cockles of my heart! 🙂 And I thought a better way to thank you might be to visit and read up on your blog (another thing that I’ve allowed to slide–don’t take it personally, I haven’t made time to read *anyone’s* blogs recently. I consider it a personal victory that I’m finally caught up on my own blog posts; staying current with others’ blogs will have to be another victory for another day). ANYway . . . your post made me think 2 things: #1, how funny, I am dread-reading a perfectly good book right now too (like you were with The Slap): Blindness by Jose Saramago. I can’t give a good reason for not wanting to read it (other than the fact that it is somewhat depressing) but there it is, I don’t want to read it. And #2, I hope you got some good info from your dr’s appt (assuming you were talking about today and not next Friday).
Sorry to hear that you’re not feeling well. Hope you got some answers today! I just finished two books that I “had” to read and now I’m, in theory, back to The Secret History. But I’m really not feeling it. I think if I try to push on, it will put me in a slump, too. But I do so hate to give up on books!
I tried to read The Secret History twice. I have to be in the right mood for it, I think.
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My reading has been very slow lately too. I have so many projects going on right now that it has been crazy.
I recently tried a gluten free diet at the recommendation of my doc. Then they ruled out that I don’t have celiac, so I’m back to square one. I see the doctor again this week. I hope they can figure something out because I am currently in the same boat as you. I’m good if I’m not eating, but a person has got to eat!
Well, you can still have a gluten sensitivity and not have celiac. Or you could have another food allergy. I think I am also allergic to coconut but not all forms of it.
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Stupid, stupid doctors. I hope that you can get some answers soon, although my own recent experience with doctors makes me think you might be better off figuring it out on your own.
I’m still in my slump, finding it easier to play games than it is to pick up a damn book. The books aren’t horrible either. I just don’t really want to read, and that’s something I never thought I would say. Again, I hope you have better luck than I am!
I know. I spent the whole week feeling weak and a little off. I didn’t read anything except I did manage to finish Revival but man did I have a headache afterward. Haven’t picked a book up since and I really have to read my club book for this week’s meeting. I just don’t feel like it.
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Boo!! I hate how not feeling well can suck all desire out of you. I hope you can get some mojo back soon!